Bottle assemblies, such as infant or nursing bottle assemblies, typically have multiple components including a bottle, a nipple, a collar for securing the nipple to the bottle (the nipple and collar sometimes collectively defining a collar assembly), and a cap for covering the nipple when the bottle is not in use. The nipple typically has one or more openings for allowing liquid contained within the bottle to exit through the nipple and into an infant's mouth for consumption by the infant (or young child). During use, the infant places an end of the nipple in their mouth and sucks on the nipple to withdraw the liquid contained within the bottle.
At least some bottle assemblies include a removable vent assembly that can be positioned within the bottle. For example, at least some bottle assemblies comprise a removable vent assembly configured to sit on an annular rim defining an open end of the bottle which permits venting of the bottle during use. Some examples of vented bottle assemblies include those available from Handi-Craft Company under the tradename Dr. Brown's. Additional examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,071 issued Jul. 14, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 7,828,165 issued Nov. 9, 2010, U.S. Pat. No. 8,113,365 issued Feb. 14, 2012, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,146,759 issued Apr. 3, 2012, the disclosures of all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. In these bottle assemblies, the vent assembly allows air to enter the bottle while the infant consumes the liquid through the nipple, thus alleviating or reducing the formation of a vacuum within the bottle during nursing. The vent assembly typically seats, at least in part, on the rim of the bottle and a collar assembly including a collar and nipple are together threadably secured down over the vent assembly to external threads on the neck of the bottle.
Some users may at times assemble such a bottle with the vent assembly omitted from the bottle, such as when traveling or when a child is older and a parent decides to no longer use the vent assembly. In such an instance, the collar assembly is threaded onto the neck of the bottle until the collar is tightened down as much as possible. However, the neck of the bottle and the height of the collar are such that the collar assembly, and in particular the nipple of the collar assembly, do not adequately seal down against the rim of the bottle. As such, leakage of liquid from the bottle can occur.
There is a need, therefore, for a bottle assembly, and in particular a vented bottle assembly, in which the vent assembly can be removed and the bottle assembly still used without the risk of leakage.